American long jumper Ralph Boston has died at the age of 84. Boston broke the long jump world record shortly before winning gold at the 1960 Rome Olympics, making it one of the greatest in track and field history. He was an idol to many and a great influence on the athlete Carl Lewis, who won four Olympic gold medals in the same discipline. Boston grew up in Mississippi, in the southern United States, where law and death were dictated by the Ku Klux Klan. After winning the gold medal in Rome, Boston returned to a city where he could only enter restaurants, buses, and segregated services.
Boston built his own running track as a boy near his Mississippi home with tools and farm supplies from his father. At the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, Boston won a silver medal, being defeated by Lynn Davies by four centimeters. He also competed against Spaniard Luis Felipe “Pipe” Areta in the Olympic finals in Tokyo and Mexico. Boston was known for his humility and friendliness, and he was a charm to many.
In 1965, he competed in Madrid and jumped 8.28 meters on the dirt track in Vallehermoso, impressing the youngsters with his exuberant elegance in the jump. Boston is remembered as one of the greatest long jump athletes of all time and a great inspiration to many other athletes.